The Bafana Bafana Thread

[R13...]

I think this is a recipe for disaster,

Newly-appointed Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund is to be assisted by SA soccer legends Lucas Radebe, Fani Madida and Doctor Khumalo, a report says.

They should allow him to bring in his own assistance. If they want them to be locals then they must make that stipulation in his contract, but for the love of all that is good please let him bring his own assistants - if SAFA want to develop these Chiefs guys give them work elsewhere in SAFA's development structures.

Meanwhile, it has also been reported that Igesund will receive R400 000 per month as part of his two-year performance-based contract.

Why such a short contract?
http://www.iol.co.za/sport/soccer/ba...aled-1.1332297

[thestaggy]

Why such a short contract?
http://www.iol.co.za/sport/soccer/ba...aled-1.1332297

This is a problem endemic to African football in general. Coaches barely last more than an AFCON cycle, which is two years.

The Danish coach that took Denmark to Euro 2012 has been in charge for 12 years.
Joachim Loew has been tenured with Germany since 2006.

A head coach is hardly given a chance to implement his ideas before he is removed and players are thus constantly having to re-learn something.

[cr@zydude]

I think this is a recipe for disaster,

They should allow him to bring in his own assistance. If they want them to be locals then they must make that stipulation in his contract, but for the love of all that is good please let him bring his own assistants - if SAFA want to develop these Chiefs guys give them work elsewhere in SAFA's development structures.


Why such a short contract?
http://www.iol.co.za/sport/soccer/ba...aled-1.1332297

Maybe he chose these assistants? As far as I know his old Swallows technical team is staying at the club. I hope he gets to pick his own team technical though.

This is a problem endemic to African football in general. Coaches barely last more than an AFCON cycle, which is two years.

The Danish coach that took Denmark to Euro 2012 has been in charge for 12 years.
Joachim Loew has been tenured with Germany since 2006.

A head coach is hardly given a chance to implement his ideas before he is removed and players are thus constantly having to re-learn something.

SAFA have to be seen as stricter than they were on Parrera and Mosimane. I agree that African teams love firing coaches, but Gordon also isn't a long term coach. If he does well with Bafana, a world cup qualifications, he will likely leave after the tournament for his next challenege. he doesn't stay at one team for a long time.

[daveza]

http://www.iol.co.za/sport/soccer/ba...sund-1.1334119

The first piece of good Bafana news for some time burst like a ray of sunshine through piss-ridden clouds this weekend, as Gordon Igesund was appointed national team coach.

And then, the South African Football Association inhaled deeply from the proverbial crack pipe, and poured gussets of urine over the whole situation, with one of the more insane mandates I have seen in my years hurling text across the plains of Africa.

Igesund has been told, that in order to survive a two-year contract in charge of Bafana, he must get the team to the semifinals of the 2013 African Nations Cup, and qualify them for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Igesund, in other words, must not only breathe life into a rotting carcass of a team, horseflies chomping merrily on its ability to win a competitive match.

He must, in a matter of months, have it sprinting with the continent’s giants.

This mandate simply shows that the game in this country is being run by men living in dreamland, with no sense of the real landscape of the continental game.

I really hope Igesund excels, but my underlying feeling is that first Safa must wake up, and smell their own decay.

[cr@zydude]

Rankings update, SA stay 68th:

Cape Town - Bafana Bafana have remained static at No 68 in the latest FIFA world rankings released on Wednesday.

VIDEO: Gordon Igesund named Bafana Bafana coach

A draw in Botswana and a 3-0 home win over Gabon have not helped Gordon Igesund’s side climb up the ladder in the global list, though they have moved up one place in the African rankings to No 14.

It is well below their ranking of this time last year, when they were placed at 49th on the global list and seventh in Africa.

But a run of eight games without a win before their victory over a youthful Gabon had seen the country in freefall.

Ivory Coast remain the top-ranked African side and sit 16th in the world, followed by Ghana (33rd), Algeria (35th), Libya (39th) and Mali (40th). African champions Zambia are in sixth (41st).

Spain’s 2012 European Championship win means they are remain the top-ranked side on the global list, followed by Germany, Uruguay, England and Portugal.

Brazil, hosts of the 2014 Soccer World Cup, crashed out of the top 10 for the first time since the standings were created in August 1993.

Brazil slipped six spots and now sit 11th.

News24

[DrYes]

http://www.iol.co.za/sport/soccer/ba...sund-1.1334119

oooh nasty.
Well they cant exactly tell him to lose his way to the WC.

[akescpt]

the odds are stacked against old Gordon. performance clauses and a 3 ex-player coaches handicap to cap it all off! safa are idiots..

we waited so long for this appointment and they tilt circumstances against him so much...

[thestaggy]

Um, how did this get past the editor/proof readers;

The first piece of good Bafana news for some time burst like a ray of sunshine through piss-ridden clouds this weekend, as Gordon Igesund was appointed national team coach.

Lol! I find that bit of creative journalism hilarious, but surprised it got passed.

It is sickening that we are ranked 14th on the continent. Absolute disgrace. With the amount of money SAFA wastes we should be the dominant force on the continent.

[cr@zydude]

New FIFA rankings are in:

Paris - Bafana Bafana have moved up one place to number 67 in the latest FIFA world rankings released on Wednesday.

News24

Also, does anyone know why Banafa don't have a friendly scheduled for next week? 15 August is a FIFA date.

In junior football news, Amajita, the U20 team, will play Congo U20 in the 2nd leg of their African Youth Championship qualifier. Amajita trail 2-1 after the first leg in Congo.

The match is on Saturday at 7pm at Bidvest Stadium at Wits. If Amajita win, they will progress to face either Nigeria or Tanzania.

[akescpt]

New FIFA rankings are in:



News24

Also, does anyone know why Banafa don't have a friendly scheduled for next week? 15 August is a FIFA date.

In junior football news, Amajita, the U20 team, will play Congo U20 in the 2nd leg of their African Youth Championship qualifier. Amajita trail 2-1 after the first leg in Congo.

The match is on Saturday at 7pm at Bidvest Stadium at Wits. If Amajita win, they will progress to face either Nigeria or Tanzania.

we have been known to ignore fifa dates. maybe they think they so kwaai they dont need a game for the coach to access his strengths and weaknesses.

[cr@zydude]

we have been known to ignore fifa dates. maybe they think they so kwaai they dont need a game for the coach to access his strengths and weaknesses.

It's really stupid not a play on every date available. International coaches get very little time with players, so each date should be used. I know last year SAFA continually failed to play friendlies after the qualifier in FIFA weeks. This is the first time I know of a date being completely ignored though. I am relatively new to following football in such detail though.

[cr@zydude]

The Under 20 side won 1-0 to advance to the next stage of qualifiers where they will play Nigeria for a place at next year's African Youth Championship.

Kickoff reports that Bafana have a friendly scheduled for 11 September with Mozambique in Nelspruit. No official word yet though.

[cr@zydude]

Gordon is bringing an 18 year old into Bafana:

South African youngster Kgosi Ntlhe has been called up by Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund for the internationals against Brazil and Mozambique next month.

This was confirmed via a tweet by the press officer at his English Championship club, Peterborough United, and then retweeted by the player himself.

"Can now confirm that Kgosi Nthle has been called up to the South African senior squad for games against Brazil and Mozambique,” United press officer Phil Adlam said.

CLICK HERE for the Brazil squad.

The 18-year-old left-back broke into the first team at Peterborough in the final two Championship games of last season, both substitute appearances.

However, he has started all the club's games so far in the current campaign and looks to be entrenched in the fullback position.

He is known to be highly rated by United manager Darren Ferguson, son of Manchester United legend Sir Alex.

Ntlhe played for the South African Under-20 side at the 8-Nations Tournament in Cape Town earlier this year and won rave reviews for his performances.

Should he make it onto the pitch in either game, he will be four months older than the youngest-ever Bafana international, Aaron Mokoena, who was 18 years, two months and 26 days when he played against Botswana in 1999.

Igesund is only due to formally announce his squad for the two matches on Thursday.

Kickoff

[cr@zydude]

SAFA have a new sponsor:

The South Africa Football Association (SAFA) has entered into a three-year sponsorship deal with Energade. The sports energy drink will be supplied to all of SAFA’s national teams over the next three years, including the senior men’s team, Bafana Bafana.

Speaking to the media and invited guests at a launch ceremony held at The Venue in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, on Tuesday morning, Tiger Brands CEO, Peter Matlare, said that they are delighted to align themselves with SAFA.



"Our brand will be with SAFA through-out the steps, starting from next year's Afcon. We want to be with the national team, not just Bafana, but all the teams under SAFA. We want to see the teams show that they are committed to working with the greatest energy drink. We are happy to have this relationship," Matlare concluded.

Soccer Laduma

No official numbers yet. I assume that the Coca Cola sponsorship has now lapsed, as the team used to use Powerade on field.

[cr@zydude]

The new squad has been announced:

oalkeepers

Wayne Sandilands (Mamelodi Sundowns), Moeneeb Josephs (Orlando Pirates), Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs)

Defenders

Siyabonga Sangweni (Orlando Pirates), Bevan Fransman (SuperSport United), Bongani Khumalo (PAOK, Greece), Erick Mathoho (Kaizer Chiefs), Anele Ngcongca (Genk, Belgium), Punch Masenamela (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thabo Matlaba (Orlando Pirates), Kgosi Ntlhe (Peterborough, England)

Midfielders

Kamohelo Mokotjo (Feyenoord, Holland), Steven Pienaar (captain)(Everton, England), Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Siphiwe Tshabalala (both Kaizer Chiefs), Thulani Serero (Ajax Amsterdam, Holland), Katlego Mashego (Free State Stars), Dean Furman (Oldham Athletic, England), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Crystal Palace, England), May Mahlangu (Malmo, Sweden), Lerato Chabangu (Moroka Swallows)

Strikers

Bernard Parker (Kaizer Chiefs), Siyabonga Nomvete (Moroka Swallows), Dino Ndlovu (Maccabi Haifa, Israel), Thamsanqa Gabuza (Golden Arrows)

Kickoff

Some changes, but nothing too drastic yet.